Horse-detacher



woman.

O. H. THOMPSON.

Horse Detaoher.

No. 232,571. Patented Sept. 21,1880.

N-PETER8. FHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER. W ASH\NG'TON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CYRUS H. THOMPSON, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,571, dated September 21,, 1880.

Application filed March 19, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, OYRUs H. THOMPSON, of Mount Pleasant, in the county of Isabella and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Detachers and Ido hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanyin g drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the thills and whiftletree of a vehicle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the whiffletree. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the detaching-levers with their operatingyoke and spring, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to certain improvements in horse-detaching devices for vehicles, to provide for instantaneously freeing a runaway horse from the whiflfletree and thills to which he is attached; and it consists in the construction and combination of parts of the device for unhitching the lugs or traces from the ends of the whiftletree, substztntially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings hereto annexed, AA are the thills ofa vehicle, and B is the whiffletree. Each of the two ends of the latter has a projecting pin or bolt, to a, which is inserted through eyes in the traces, (not shown in the drawings,) which are prevented from slipping off by books I) Z), formed upon the outer ends of rods 0 C, that work through keepers c c, and are provided with projecting loops d (1, parallel to the hooked or bent ends I) I), through which said loops the bolts to a are inserted. The outer end of each of the bolts or pins to is preferably recessed transversely to receive the hooked end or arm b.

The inner ends of the rods 0 (J are pivoted in short levers D D, which have their fulcrums at e e in a heart-shaped box or casin g, E, which is cast with a face-plate, E, by means of which itisfastened (byscrews or otherwise) upon the box or casback part of the whiffletree. This I in triangular ingEis cast with a stud or cross-piece,f, across which is placed a spring, G, the ends of which, projecting out of the casing, are pointed to fit grooves or channels gg made in the inner sides of the levers D D, facing each other. Each of said levers D is made with a shoulder, h, from which its projecting outer end gradually increases in thickness, and is slightly curved outwardly, its extreme end being made with a vertical dovetailed slot tapering downwardly, through which is inserted a dovetailed pin, 1', said pins M serving as stops for the sliding slotted yoke H, through the end slots, 7c 76, of which levers D D are inserted. The projecting middle part of the yoke is slotted for the insertion of a strap or chain, I, which reaches up into the vehicle within convenient reach of the driver.

To release both traces simultaneously from the whiffletree, all that is necessary is to pull strap I, which draws the yoke out over the levers, causing their inner ends to spread, and thereby force the pivoted rods C O outward from the middle of the whiffletree, so that the looped arms (I d will shove the traces off of the end pins, to to, leaving the horse at liberty to run without dragging the vehicle after him.

By this device runaway accidents are absolutely avoided, and they are so simple in construction that they can be placed upon any vehicle at a small cost.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-- 7 The combination, with the whiffletree A, provided with the end pins or bolts, are, keepers or guide-sleeves c c, and casing E E, of the slide-rods U 0, having arms I) d, diverging levers D D, provided with the grooves g g, shoulders h h, and stops 2' i, bent spring G, and yoke H, provided with a strap or chain, I, for operating-it, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

. In testimony that Iclaiin the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS HEATH THOMPSON.

Witnesses JAMES W. LONG, J. B. WALLACE. 

